


meet me there

by only_by_the_stars



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29442300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/only_by_the_stars/pseuds/only_by_the_stars
Summary: Link has a surprise planned for Mipha, at a secret location. Written for Valentine's Day.
Relationships: Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 43





	meet me there

“Mipha?”

Her name—and the voice that spoke it—brushed against her mind like a leaf in a stream as Mipha slowly drifted into a state of semi-wakefulness. Her eyelids fluttered but didn't open. She shifted. "Nnn... Link...?" 

“Yeah.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek, and even in her drowsy state she still shivered slightly at his touch. “It's morning. Almost time to set out again.”

“Oh... right...” She opened her eyes and blinked up at him, waiting for her vision to adjust. The inside of the stable was still fairly dark, but behind her beloved's face she could see the open doorway and the dawn-tinged sky beyond. Link smiled and extended his hand; Mipha took it and rose from the bed, smiling sleepily back at him.

“I'll get us ready to go.” Link squeezed her fingers. “I left you some breakfast by the cooking pot.”

“Thank you.” Mipha leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I won't be long.”

They parted ways, him making for where his horse was still tied up, her for the communal cooking pot that every stable offered. Lakeside Stable was no exception, though the blazing fire felt a bit overly warm in the already humid air. Mipha picked up the leaf-wrapped bundle and sat down on a cool stone a little ways away. A freshly caught Hearty Bass greeted her as she unwrapped it, and she sighed in pleasure as she sank her teeth into it. Link hadn't bothered to cook it, knowing that though she enjoyed his meals she ultimately preferred her fish raw, and she appreciated the gesture. Especially since he'd more than likely gone to the trouble of catching it himself in the nearby waters of Lake Floria.

Mipha ate quickly, and finished her meal just as Link finished securing their gear to his horse. If she wasn't imagining things, there was a little bit extra there that she didn't remember seeing before; part of the surprise he had planned, she assumed. Their eyes met as she walked over to him, and she smiled. He helped her up into the saddle first before climbing up in front of her, taking the reins and gently guiding the animal forward. Mipha wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his back, closing her eyes. The Faron region was so much warmer than the cooler waters of Lanayru that she was used to, and it was making her sleepy again. “How far do we have to go today?” 

“Not too far. We should be there by noon.” Link tugged on the reins a little, easing Epona into a trot as they came to the Floria Bridge. “Hey, do you see the waterfalls over there? To our left?”

“Hmm?” Mipha opened her eyes and turned her head in the direction he indicated. “What about them?”

“Sometimes Farosh comes flying over them.” A trace of awe crept into his voice; Mipha found herself smiling at the sound of it. “I saw her the last time I was here.”

“That must have been amazing.” Mipha snuggled closer. “I've only seen Naydra.” _When I collected the scales for your armor._

“It was. I don't think I'll ever forget it.” Birds scattered from their perches and fluttered into the air as they rode by. “I was scouting out the way to where we're headed, and it made it even more memorable.”

“And you still won't tell me where it is we're going?”

Link turned his head for a moment, just enough that Mipha could see the amusement glinting in his eyes. “And you still won't tell me what you're making?”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh, fair enough.” _I know you must suspect something—I've measured you for it, and you grew up in the Domain, so you more than likely have an idea. But I still want it to be as much of a surprise as it can be when I finally present it._ “You will know soon, though. I promise.”

“So will you.” He let go of the reins with one hand, so he could take one of hers and press it to his lips before returning his attention to guiding Epona along the path. Mipha's heart fluttered, and she laid her head on his back again.

The temperature crept up as they rode through the jungles of Faron, but cool breezes helped mitigate some of the effects of the steamy heat. Still, Mipha nearly dozed off more than once as she leaned against Link. He kept Epona going at a steady trot, never too fast so as not to overexert her. A little rain fell as they rode across the white sandy beach, and Mipha lifted her face to it in delight. It was a warm rain, and a brief one, but it felt wonderful nonetheless. She wondered if the shore was their destination, staring out at the crashing tides in the distance, but Link turned Epona away and headed for the path that led up the mountain. Tuft Mountain, if she remembered her glimpse of the map on the Sheikah Slate correctly.

Mipha held onto Link more tightly as they rode up and up, the path growing steeper as they ascended. She knew he'd never let her fall off and wouldn't be taking her here if it was dangerous, but it was a little nerve-wracking anyway, and holding him close always made her feel more secure. Link patted her hands at his waist, as if sensing her anxiety. It was an understanding between them that no longer needed to be spoken aloud: _I'm here. You're safe._ They'd silently reassured one another like that so many times since the war began; he would always look out for her, and she for him, and they only needed a look or a touch to communicate that.

The road had just reached its steepest point when Link directed Epona just off to the side, to a flatter, wider area, and pulled on the reins to bring her to a stop. He dismounted easily, and then took hold of Mipha's hips so he could gently pull her down. She slid down into his arms, and for a moment he just held her close, gazing into her eyes, before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “I'm going to go on ahead,” he murmured, cupping her face in his hand. “Wait a few minutes and then meet me there, alright?”

“Of course.” She leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth. Link smiled, and then let her go so that he could undo the straps that attached one of the bundles they'd brought with them. He hefted it onto his shoulder and gave her one last tender look before going on his way. Mipha watched him disappear over the ridge, a warmth that had nothing to do with the day's heat flooding through her.

_An odd request, to be sure... but he does seem to have something special in mind, so I'm happy to indulge him. And after all, he has been so very patient as I craft the armor, so it is the least I can do in return._

Just as he'd asked, Mipha waited. The time seemed to drag on agonizingly long, and she wondered if she was waiting long enough or too long. She fidgeted. A dragonfly zoomed past, and she watched its flight as it vanished in the direction of the beach. At last, when it finally seemed that it must be time to go meet him, Mipha started to walk. Slowly, and carefully, so as not to slip and fall, and also so that if Link needed more time, she wouldn't get there too early.

A wondrous sight greeted her as she arrived, and Mipha stopped short, her breath catching in her throat. Link had laid out a blanket with some food just outside where a riot of blue nightshade flowers surrounded a small pond. The crystalline surface sparkled merrily under the midday sun, and Mipha realized with a start just how it was shaped. It was a perfect heart, so perfect that it looked like some divine being had personally carved it out of the ground here and filled it with water. And beside it, hands clasped behind his back was— “Link...?”

“Have you ever heard of this place?” Link walked forward to meet her, and Mipha moved towards him as well, feeling as though she was dreaming. “It's apparently a big tourist attraction for Lurelin; when I heard about it while getting supplies, I had to come see for myself.”

“No, I don't think I have...” Mipha glanced at the little pond, and then back at Link. “I—oh...” She gasped as he brought his hands out from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of blue nightshade flowers tied with a simple ribbon. He held it out, and she took it with trembling hands, holding them close to her heart.

“It's called Lover's Pond.” Link slipped his arms around her waist and tugged her close, leaning his forehead against hers. “Legend has it that if you're lucky, you'll meet your true love here.” He brushed his lips against hers in a soft kiss. “But I already met you a long time ago, so...”

“So that's why...” Mipha reached up a shaking hand to touch his face, her eyes beginning to sting with joyful tears. “That's why you wanted me to meet you here?”

Link nodded; his eyes never left hers as he took her hand and kissed it. “I love you, Mipha.”

“I...” She drew a shaky breath. He had said it before, of course, but somehow it carried more weight here, now, in this blissful perfect moment. “I love you too, Link...”

He pulled her closer so he could kiss her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning up into him. The kiss lingered on for a few minutes, slow and sweet and aching with the love they shared. The whole world seemed to drop away as they melted into each others' embrace, only the press of their bodies and lips mattering in those precious heady moments.

When at last they broke apart, it was Mipha that spoke first. She slid her fingers down his cheek, tracing his jaw, and took a deep breath. “It's armor,” she whispered, meeting his heavy-lidded gaze with hers. “What I'm making for you... it's armor. I was going to keep it a secret until it was ready, but...”

“I...” A blush blossomed on Link's cheeks, spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. “I was... I was hoping it was that...”

Mipha drew her breath in sharply, her heartbeat quickening. “You were? Truly?”

“Yeah.” Link nodded again, and smiled. “I guess that gives away my answer, though.”

“I don't mind.” Mipha smiled back at him. “I am just happy to know it will be well-received.”

“Of course it will be.” His expression grew more serious. “Thank you, Mipha... for agreeing to meet me here. I know it must have seemed strange, but... well, thank you. Again.”

“Don't worry about it.” She shook her head. “As always, I had the utmost faith in you.”

“And as always, I will try not to let you down.” Link kissed her hand again. “I have more planned than just this.”

“Then let us enjoy it.” Mipha squeezed his fingers, and then leaned up to kiss his cheek. Link's smile reappeared, and he led her over to the blanket he'd spread out. She followed, sparing one glance over her shoulder at the heart-shaped pond that had brought them here.

_I shall cherish this day in my memory for as long as I live... just as I will always cherish you, Link._

_My true love._


End file.
